Before becoming a police officer, Ellis excelled on the baseball diamond. That's where his family was Tuesday night.

It is a young boy's dream in the harshest of realities -- an 8-year-old took the mound inside Great American Ballpark to throw out the first pitch in front of thousands of fans to honor his fallen father.

Ellis was shot and killed in May. The former baseball star played a season of minor league ball for the Cincinnati Reds, and during police and fire appreciation night, his family was the team's special guest.

In Bardstown, Ellis' chief was one of many officers still trying to find those who killed him.

Police now say there was likely more than one person involved in his ambush killing on a highway ramp.

"Quite honestly, I hope there are, because the more people, the more possibility of someone running their mouth," said McCubbin.

The search not only has the attention of the Bardstown community, complete strangers are thinking about it.

"When officers are hurt or killed in the area, it brings back all the memories you had and all the horrible things that go through your mind when this is happening to you," said Pat Denzinger.

Denzinger knows the Ellis family's grief all too well.

Six years to the day that her son, New Albany police Officer Frank Denzinger was fatally shot, that community remembered his life by helping give life to others at a blood drive held in memory of fallen officers.

"He would be so proud, and he would be here if it were for someone else. He would be here first in line to show his support," said Denzinger.

And as leads in Ellis' case continue to come in, Denzinger said support is what his family truly needs.

"When this happened down there, all I could think about was his family, his wife, his children and his parents and how much they're all grieving because we all did," said Denzinger.

Kentucky State Police have also set up a new email account for tips, the address is EllisCaseEtips@ky.gov.